Monday, April 21, 2014

randomly I stare intoeach reflective surfaceforever pondering thelines of age, pain and joyeach one a splendid testamentculled from a full lifeteased endlessly, eternallyinto distorted imagesof the soul of menever quiteseeing...I

surely, I amnot this shallowonly time can plane my cheekinsight my eyes to fadeturn the plumpness of lip tocrinkles of mirthenlivening the graylanguishing in silverforever seeing but parts of theecstasy Ireflect

You might have observed, through my use of color, that the first letter of each line, when read downwards, forms a word. This is a poetic form called an acrostic, and was used frequently in ancient poetry like the Hebrew book of Psalms. What is particularly clever about this piece is that the poet recreates the word backwards (or in mirror image) in the second stanza, reinforcing the sense of reflections.

Acrostics are a somewhat slighted form, in part because it's often one of the first forays into poetry writing for early elementary students. But as Guzzi shows, the form can be quite sophisticated in the hands of an experienced poet. Even within the confines of form, she has some striking sound patterns, like "culled from a full life" and "plumpness of lip."

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comments:

I love this type of poetry. When I was younger - like school age - this is the sort of poetry I dabbled in the most. Not sure why. Hmm.... maybe I was searching for some answer. Geesh, I think you just gave me a story idea.

About Me

City dweller, word nerd, Indie film enthusiast and incurable Anglophile. Professor's wife and mom to an arty teen. Follower of the Good Shepherd, who is faithful when we are faithless. My poetry and fiction explore the places where heart and soul are tested and growing up truly begins.

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